Acceptance Archive

Working Out With Multiple Sclerosis

– 4 November, 2013Posted in: Acceptance, chronic illness, health, Laughter Yoga, Life With MS, Moving forward, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Physical therapy, Walking

Content provided by: Black Health Matters

Though it might seem like exercising when you have multiple sclerosis (MS) is an oxymoron, even a small amount of physical activity can provide great benefits. In addition to being essential to overall well-being, exercise may even ease symptoms, and it could help you stay mobile longer than if you are inactive. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist before starting an exercise program because your workouts should be determined by your fitness level. If you don’t have balance problems and you’re able to ride a bike or run, you should. Here are options if you can’t hit the pavement:

Stretching. MS patients tend to lose range in motion in their limbs as muscles freeze. Stretching your arms and legs every day will help keep them moving.

Yoga. Downward facing dog and the lotus position help relax muscles and keep them flexible. Yoga is also good for maintaining balance. Tai chi’s slow, deliberate movements are another excellent choice for building muscle tone and increasing flexibility. Choose classes for people with disabilities.

Water exercises. Swimming and water aerobics are particularly good for MS patients, especially if your disease is causing increased sensitivity to temperature. And some movements that you’re unable to do out of water are possible in water, where your body is weightless.

Stationary bike. Can’t ride in the next BikeMS event? You can make use of a stationary bike. One study showed stationary bike participants reported improvement in their fatigue symptoms.
Resistance bands. Use resistance bands to duplicate exercises normally performed with barbells. Bands can also be used to assist with stretching.

Though multiple sclerosis may mean a change in physical activity and mobility, it doesn’t mean your life has to stall. If you can no longer continue activities you used to enjoy, talk to your doctor about new ways to stay active or about ways to make your old favorite activities more accessible.

Content provided by: Black Health Matters

Tags: Black Health Matters, exercise, MS, multiple sclerosis, physical activity, Stationary bike, Stretching, Water exercises, Yoga

Wonder Woman

Nicole Lemelle

– 28 October, 2013Posted in: Acceptance, Authentic Happiness, chronic illness, Depression, health, Independence, Moving forward, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Sadness

This week I am completely energized to keep moving forward.

Last week after a personal ferocious crying storm, brought on by this journey with multiple sclerosis, I eventually made my way to my laptop and …wrote about it. It was my way of trying to move beyond the hurt, getting pass the suffocating isolation and unimaginable fatigue.

Tommy, my husband, on the other hand, uncharacteristically suggested an increase in my anti-depressant. After visiting both my psychiatrist and social worker they agreed upon adding another medication to the impressive list I already drag around. So I’m now supposedly transiently taking not only Lexapro but also Cymbalta. I know I have to give it a few days, but so far things are going fine. No scary side effects and no crying either!

It doesn’t stop there. I have to do my part too. I have to engage in life by participating in as much as I can. Exactly the kind of things you run from when depressed. When I was busy crying I was focused on the things I could no longer do. I just wanted to hide in bed and shut every one out. This is what I got instead.

Long time friends from both high school and college dropped by. We talked about old times and new ones too. Another friend even gave Tommy a break by bringing me to a doctor’s appointment. She was new to my scooter, but graciously learned how to assemble and break it down to fit in her car. She stayed the afternoon; we ran errands and ate dinner at a local restaurant. Tommy even called me thirty minutes into our excursion to make sure I was okay. How cute! In fact for once I was able to bring dinner home for him.

The point is I opened the door and allowed friends to see me for who I am now, regardless of what I could do the last time they saw me.

Little did I know my latest friend is an actual photographer. She showed up and we had a real photo shoot for Halloween. She even brought over the lights and costume too!

Tags: anti-depressant, crying, Cymbalta, Depression, fatigue, Halloween, isolation, Lexapro, MS, multiple sclerosis, photographer, scooter, Wonder Woman

Clinging To Sanity

Nicole Lemelle

– 21 October, 2013Posted in: Acceptance, Authentic Happiness, chronic illness, Depression, health, Independence, Moving forward, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Sadness, Walking, Wheelchair

I’m not clear what happened differently this week. I don’t have any new symptoms. Everything I can’t do, I haven’t been able to do in years at this point. My husband is still doing a good job taking care of me. We have not even been arguing. I’ve been seeing my same psychiatrist and I’ve really been doing my part to cling to my sanity.

But yesterday, I completely lost it. I cried endlessly all day long! I hate crying. I especially hate doing it in front of my husband. Because, I know there’s really nothing he can do and men always want to “fix” the problem. The thing is I don’t think there is a way to fix me.

Since nothing has changed, I am fiddling with the idea of increasing my depression medication. You know depression is really a side effect of multiple sclerosis. But of course it would be.

It’s so bad that I actually left a recent MS self-help meeting feeling worse, because I was the most disable one there. Meaning, although they all had valid complaints, at least they could get up and walk out. I had the nerve to judge them and that made me feel horrible.

It seems as if once again I’m assuming that if you can walk you must be happy. From down here in my wheelchair it seems that has to be true. Right?

So I’m going to see my psychiatrist next week. Hopefully, it will be as simple as him writing a new prescription.

Hopefully.

Tags: cry, Depression, medication, MS, multiple sclerosis, prescription, psychiatrist, wheelchair

Enduring Hardship

Nicole Lemelle

– 14 October, 2013Posted in: Acceptance, Authentic Happiness, chronic illness, Depression, health, Moving forward, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Sadness

We are not all amazing stories waiting to be told; we are more like amazing lives ready to be lived. -Unknown

MS can transform you into someone you barely recognize. I for one refuse to let that materialize. Sometimes MS wins but I cannot let it totally defeat me. I will relentlessly attack with vigor and die fighting with my boots on, in my continuous campaign against MS. No matter the score I will fight MS one battle at a time. MS is like a storm cloud hanging over my life. It has me soaked in pain but I’m still here. I’m still fighting.

Don’t get me wrong; it has altered my dreams and routines. I can no longer walk, work or drive. All reasons to make you want to punch the wall and give up.

But I can’t. I’m too stubborn. I learned it from my mom. She’s a fighter and so am I.

Happiness is never handed to you. You have to shape it yourself; just like a potter. After having a couple of rough weeks, it dawned on me there are a few things I must continually do to maintain my level of happiness or at least contentment.

I need to make it to the gym.
I need to write to share my experiences with multiple sclerosis.
I need to read.
I need to go to the psychiatrist.

All things I remembered after a recent horseback ride. Oh, something else I enjoy. At a local non-profit farm it’s cheap and serves as physical therapy. That’s a 2 for 1!

If you look hard enough, if you want it bad enough, you can find something you CAN do too.

What is it?

Tags: die with your boots on, gym, happiness, horse, horseback riding, MS, multiple sclerosis, non-profit, physical therapy, psychiatrists, read, therapeutic horseback riding

Small Victories

Nicole Lemelle

– 7 October, 2013Posted in: Acceptance, Bladder Issues, chronic illness, health, Independence, Moving forward, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Walker, Walking, Wheelchair

Some mornings I wake up and I just can’t do it. I don’t want to battle MS anymore. But somehow I muster up the strength to fight the good fight and begin my day.

I have tremors in my hands, which makes using them exceedingly difficult. At times I’m unable to hold a fork or spoon and transferring myself in and out of my power chair is becoming more challenging due to my lack of strength and mobility in my arms and legs. Most nights I feel like someone borrowed my legs and ran a marathon.

Lately my body aches wake me up before the rest of me wants to be awake. Then I spend the rest of the day exhausted and wanting to just climb back into bed.

I can remember when I was so active. I did so many things. What happened to me? Why has MS consumed so much of my life?

It is so frustrating to have such a hard time even taking a few steps without using a walker or the wall. I feel like a wax dummy fighting a fire that is MS.

The other day after taking a nap I woke up and steadied myself to go to the restroom but my legs didn’t follow. I quickly fell straight to the floor. I gathered myself and began to crawl to my wheelchair. It took me about five minutes to situate myself in my chair and make it to the restroom. But I did it and I was so happy.

Believe it or not, nowadays I consider that a victory because no one saw me crawling on the floor and I was able to hold my business until I made it to the restroom.

I guess when life hands you hard times any positive moment, no matter how small, is welcomed. Even the small victories can be huge.

Tags: MS, multiple sclerosis, restroom, victories, walker, walking, wheelchair

Aisle Chair

Nicole Lemelle

– 30 September, 2013Posted in: Acceptance, Bladder Issues, chronic illness, health, Moving forward, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Sadness, Walking, Wheelchair

I was excited from the very moment I was asked to speak on a panel of WEGO Health activists. The other panelists represented cancer, diabetes, and organ transplant patients; I of course represented multiple sclerosis. The conference was to be held in Boston. That’s a seven-hour flight and one layover from my home in New Orleans, Louisiana. This in itself did not pose a problem for me. I’ve traveled by airplane multiple times in the past. I see disabled individuals in the airport all the time.

But this time was different.

Tommy, my husband, wheeled me to the gate. Then both the airline representative and Tommy escorted me down the jet way to the airplane. In the past, I would then stand and wobble to my seat. This time it was deemed necessary for me to use what they call an aisle chair. I could no longer even wobble to my seat!

The aisle chair fits between the rows of the airplane. Can you imagine being wheeled between the two rows of seats? I was worried if I could even fit. They strapped me up like Hannibal Lecter. I had to ride with my arms crossed to ensure I passed. The plane wasn’t even empty as I missed pre-boarding thanks to bladder issues! I was forced to ignore all embarrassment issues. Once I made it to my seat. I was sad of course. I let a silent tear fall. Then pushed my seat back, closed my eyes, and relaxed. After all, what else could I do?

It was very humbling to say the least. It confirmed my disease had progressed. But it cemented that I could handle it.

I continued to move forward anyway and instead of saying my planned speech at the event I told this aisle chair story, which gave the conference attendees a glimpse at how it is to live with MS.

Have you ever seen an aisle chair?

More WEGO Health 2013 Socialpalooza pics.

Tags: airplane, airport, aisle chair, boston, handicap accessible, Hannibal Lecter, MS, multiple sclerosis, progressive disease, sadness, WEGO Health, wheelchair

Chronic Resilience

Nicole Lemelle

– 23 September, 2013Posted in: Acceptance, Authentic Happiness, chronic illness, health, Multiple Sclerosis

Resilience is the ability to recover from or adjust to stress of some kind.

I recently had the honor of being featured in the book “Chronic Resilience – 10 Sanity-Saving Strategies for Women Coping with the Stress of Illness” by Danea Horn. I was impressed by the title itself and then once I started reading the book I became an even bigger fan. The central lesson I learned was that, sick or not, MOST people need to have resilience to simply make it through their daily lives.

I have always been an avid non-fiction reader. Even before MS, I had self-confidence issues. I have always wanted to lose weight for as long as I can remember. I was always reading about how I could make myself better. Dr. Phil’s no-nonsense philosophies and Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose” came along at the right time. I had a personal library full of self-help books.

I never, besides complaining, really questioned why I got MS. I always figured it was a concept too massive for me to grasp or understand; especially since I’ve started declining. Ms. Horn presented to me a totally new concept. She herself said she was amazed at how simple it was.

I have multiple sclerosis because…I am human. And like everyone else, I am susceptible to the highs and lows of life.

I guess I can’t ask for more straightforward and simple reasoning than that.